Sunset Skies [AW]

Like any child, curiosity drew the girl nearer, and he flashed a grin at the questions as he set the package of dried meat strips within easy reach. “They do, both for happy stories, and sad stories, but especially for scary stories.”

Then, nodding to his armor, he worked each buckle undone and slid the armor from his frame, setting it between them as he explained, “This is armor. It protects me in fights, and hunts. And the four large pouches carry things like first aid supplies, travel food, and odds and bobs I find or gather along the way. Sometimes I might find plants or herbs that might be useful that I can take home for our healers to examine and identify. Or if I catch a small prey animal but don’t have time to skin it, I can tuck it in one of the pouches.”

He showed the girl how each segment of the armor attached to each other, adding as he invited her to press a paw on the panels, “Humans from long ago left material called metal behind when they vanished. This armor has it between two layers of bison hide, for extra protection against my opponents’ teeth if they get a bite on my back.”

He nodded to Enito, finishing, “The stitching was done with help from Enito there, and some of the other primates that became companions to some of our pack’s members. Their fingers are much more nimble than us wolves’ toes.”

Mentally, he added, With the exception of Ardyn and Aoife’s.

Regarding the girl, head cocked, he studied her again, wondering whose daughter she was, and where they were. But he didn’t ask. Not yet. That could be information that a stranger had no business asking, even one blood related.

“Do you know any good stories?”

Children, he found, had boundless imaginations, and he always found it enjoyable to hear about their fantasy worlds, or imaginary friends.

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think